The Relay for Life public relations department has planned a kick- off event for Thursday October 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Perry Paige auditorium to register teams and rouse excitement for Relay. Gabrielle Riggins 21, a senior Psychology student from Jacksonville and the public relations co-chair said the PR department hopes to bring back old teams, as well as sign up new ones.
“The purpose of the kick off is to get to know the committee members and bring in old and new teams,” Riggins said.
Every year Florida A&M hosts the Relay for life event at the Pete Griffin Track. According to Relayforlife.org the first ever relay for life event began in 1985 in Tacoma, Washington with a colorectal surgeon, Dr. Gordy Klatt. Since then relay has become a national phenomenon that has raised millions of dollars for cancer research and the American Cancer society.
These events usually take place at local schools, parks or fairgrounds, and it involves teams of people who camp out for 18-24 hours to walk and celebrate the lives of loved ones who battle cancer or lost their lives to the disease.
FAMU has been hosting the relay event since 2001 and it has been a great success. This year the FAMU relay for life is scheduled for March 25. The Theme for the event is “Don’t sit on the sidelines get into the game.”
Joy Williams 22, a senior pharmacy student from Chicago and the Relay for Life chair said she hopes to team up with the FAMU athletics department to make the event a success.
“Since this year’s theme focuses on not being on not being on the sidelines and getting into the game we would like to get support and team up with the FAMU athletics department at sports events,” Williams said. “Members of the Relay for Life committee will be at the October 16 FAMU football game giving out pink ribbons.”
Williams said that the event was not only essential to signing up old and new teams but to also inform.
“We want to inform students, faculty, and people in the community about Relay,” Williams said. “At the Thursday Kick off we hope to encourage people to sponsor teams and explain to people how to build their Relay for Life team.”